English Explanatory Dictionary

comedy

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

a choric song of celebration or revel, especially in Ancient Greece
a light, amusing play with a happy ending
a narrative poem with an agreeable ending (e.g., The Divine Comedy)
a dramatic work that is light and humorous or satirical in tone
the genre of such works
entertainment composed of jokes, satire, or humorous performance
the art of composing comedy
a humorous event

Pronunciation

/ˈkɒm.ə.di/ /ˈkɑ.mə.di/ En-us-comedy.ogg /ˈkɔm(ə)ɖi/

Word forms

comedy comedies comedie comœdie comœdy

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek κῶμος (kômos) Proto-Hellenic *awéidō Proto-Hellenic *-ā́ Proto-Hellenic *awoidā́ Ancient Greek ᾰ̓οιδή (ăoidḗ) Ancient Greek ᾠδή (ōidḗ) Ancient Greek κῶμος (kômos) Proto-Hellenic *awoidós Ancient Greek ἀοιδός (aoidós) Ancient Greek κωμῳδῐ́ᾱ (kōmōidĭ́ā)bor. Latin cōmoediader. Middle French comediebor. Middle English comedie English comedy Inherited from Middle English comedie, borrowed from Middle French comedie, from Latin cōmoedia, borrowed from Ancient Greek κωμῳδῐ́ᾱ (kōmōidĭ́ā), from κῶμος (kômos, “revel, carousing”) + ᾠδή (ōidḗ, “song”), or from κῶμος (kômos, “revel, carousing”) + ἀοιδός (aoidós, “singer, bard”). Doublet of commedia.

Antonyms

drama tragedy

Related words

comic ode

Derived words

anticomedy comedian comedic comedically comedy breasts comedy drama docucomedy dramedy high comedy metacomedy musical comedy noncomedy romedy sentimental comedy telecomedy warmedy zomedy comedy and tragedy comedy duo comedy equals tragedy plus time comedy gold comedy mask comedy of errors comedy of manners black comedy cringe comedy Ealing comedy improvisational comedy observational comedy physical comedy prop comedy romantic comedy screwball comedy sex comedy situation comedy sitcom stand-up comedy

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